Dotdash Meredith’s bold bet on AI—and why it might actually work

Jonathan Roberts of Dotdash Meredith unpacks how one of the largest digital publishers is adapting to AI and the changing nature of online audiences.

The media business is no stranger to disruption—but AI is changing the rules of engagement faster than most companies can respond. At Dotdash Meredith, Chief Innovation Officer Dr. Jonathan Roberts is trying to stay not just afloat, but ahead. This week on The Media Copilot, I talk with Jonathan about how one of the biggest names in digital publishing is confronting—and capitalizing on—AI’s rapid rise.

Dotdash Meredith is home to household-name brands like People, InStyle, and Investopedia. But behind the glossy covers and evergreen SEO content is a highly engineered operation—one that’s been data-forward for years. From its proprietary ad tech platform D/Cipher (built to thrive in a post-cookie world) to deep integrations with OpenAI, the company is betting on innovation as its survival strategy.

In our conversation, we cover:

• Why Dotdash leaned into its OpenAI partnership early—and how it’s paying off in real-time
  

• The evolving relationship between editorial integrity and algorithmic optimization
  

• How personalization at scale is being done without compromising trust or quality
  

• What AI agents mean for traffic, SEO, and the entire structure of online publishing
  

• Whether we’re heading toward a future where humans don’t browse websites—they just ask
  

Jonathan shares how Dotdash is adapting its product, content, and monetization models to survive in an environment where Google is no longer the gateway to the internet—and where AI summaries may be the only thing standing between your brand and invisibility.

We also talk about what’s not changing: the need for trusted, human storytelling—and the critical role publishers still play in shaping how information flows online. But how do you fund it? That’s the tension we explore.

This is a candid, smart look at the state of play in media innovation—one that pulls back the curtain on how digital publishers are rethinking their entire business to meet the moment.

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This episode of The Media CoPilot was produced by Pete Pachal, Executive Producer Michele Musso, and with video/audio editing by the Musso Media team. Produced by Musso Media. © 2025 Musso Media. All rights reserved.

Music: Favorite by Alexander Nakarada, licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License https://filmmusic.io/song/4855-favorite